THIS SUNDAY, The Sunday Times has brought back The Funday Times as part of their reading campaign and The Phoenix is involved! The Funday Times was a weekly comic supplement, all big and newspapery, an absolute joy to read and an instrumental part of a lot of our childhoods 🤩

In today's author spotlight video, Nikkolas Smith talks about educational justice in his beautifully illustrated information book 'The History of We' @4nikkolas.bsky.social @rocktheboatnews.bsky.social youtu.be/QVWxl-Y3TWI?...

It's #buyastrangerabook day! An next week it's gonna be #worldbookday. So, @jenillustrates.bsky.social would like to buy " kids/teens a book each up to about a tenner each. If there's a book you (or a kiddo you know) would love, get in touch. UK only

More #buyastrangerabook day magic! @humanaqvi.bsky.social is offering to buy one lucky person the book of their choice, up to £15! Any book (not just what's on my website). So, if there's a particular book you're after, just get in touch. UK only

Half of this #buyastrangerabook day offer is still up for grabs. @lancslass.bsky.social is still happy to buy someone a book, up to about a tenner (so a paperback). Your choice of book. If there's something you're after, just get in touch! UK only

Our shortlist author spotlight videos are here! You can catch them all on our YouTube channel but we'll be highlighting them here one at a time...first up @deborahhocking.bsky.social introducing her wonderful Non-Fiction book: 'The Great Pollination Investigation' youtu.be/tqUxgw0UhDA?...

The first review of WE ARE DRAGON is out, and it's a corker! "Highly original, technically brilliant, and utterly gripping, this is middle-grade sci-fi at its absolute peak." Thank you so much! 😍 missclevelandsreading.com/2026/02/24/w... @nosycrow.bsky.social #KidLitUk #WeAreDragon

Calling booksellers & children’s/YA librarians! 📚 Pen&inc. the free EDI-focused Children’s & YA magazine from CILIP, is now fully digital, open access & completely FREE! Sign up to get all editorial + listings straight to your inbox: https://ow.ly/a3P150Yi6bC

With World Book Day just round the corner I’ve seen quite a few teachers asking about good books to share in assembly. For this week’s #KidsBooksFriday, what books do you think work well across age groups and/or with a mixed group of kids? #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit

The Year of Reading 2026 is well under way so I’ve added my voice to the chat with a monthly blog - Here’s February! Recommendations, teacher ideas and resources. Probably nothing groundbreaking but hopefully there’s something useful… tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2026/02/14/t...

With the Winter Olympics on it’s a perfect read of the second in the Ice Apprentice series by @jacobnorthauthor.bsky.social @simonschusteruk.bsky.social brilliantly atmospheric, fantasy/mystery with a fast paced plot full of twists and revelations! tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2026/02/15/i...

We are very excited to announce a holiday workshop with Mariah Mannae! 🗓️ Fri 20th Feb, 3-4pm 🎨 Ideal ages 7-12 🎟️ Tickets £13 (£3 redeemable) Book now via our bio!

Quiet Storm was one of my favourite books of the year when it was released. Always Angel is another triumph - authentic voices and full of empathy. Both books allow children to find themselves and to appreciate others. Great reads too! #KidLitUK #UKKidLit

An important message beautifully presented by writer/illustrator and SoA Fellow Sarah McIntyre.

As it’s Half Term - let’s do a #SundayMorningBookChat in honour of #TheYearOfReading I am writing a monthly blog with recommendations, teacher tips and genre spotlight. This month its murder mystery… what are your favourites? Heres the blog to check out. tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2026/02/14/t...

Happy Friday! We’re excited today to reveal the shortlist for this year’s Ruth Rendall Award, presented in partnership with the @literacy-trust.bsky.social. Found out more about the shortlist here: www.alcs.co.uk/news/ruth-re...

Buzz's Book club is back, bigger and buzzier than ever before! Our mascot, Buzz, (with help from Scott) will be recommending brilliant books every Friday - so watch this space... First up, the legendary 'Varjak Paw' by @whatsfsaid.bsky.social #BuzzsBookClub www.sparkbookawards.co.uk/schools/buzz...

Earlier this week, @alomshaha.bsky.social was chatting about how the message of loving each other should inform more public discourse (beyond religion). So, for #KidsBooksFriday this week what kids books help kids to understand the importance of love in all its forms? #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit

Thanks so much for joining in with today's #buyastrangerabook day. For the first time ever, I tried it on Threads, Bluesky & Twitter at the same time (with mixed results!). Thanks to you amazing people we gave away 12 books. You lot are ace. Ta.

My 1,500th blog post is for the incredible Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Shadow Compass by @prleathley.bsky.social 🎉 Out now for middle grade readers from @harpercollins.bsky.social #KidlitUK #UKKidlit worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com/2026/02/08/i...

As grown-ups we can often fall into the trap of leaning towards serious or ‘issue heavy’ kid’s books, forgetting that kids also need and deserve books that just bring joy. So for #KidsBooksFriday this week, what are your top fun / silly / joyful book recommendations? #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit

I thought I should try and tidy up the #KidsBooksFriday tag list whilst I’m recuperating. So do let me know if I currently tag you and you’d rather I didn’t, or if I don’t normally tag you but you’d like me to. Do join us if you enjoy a chatting about kids books. #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit

Honoured to see Jakub’s Otter featured in the 2026 Read for Empathy Collection, esp in this National Year of Reading. This fantastic collection of 65 books for 3-16+ yr olds (curated by librarians, booksellers, teachers, academics) all help to encourage empathy in their readers.

I have another #buyastrangerabook day offer for you. @mrslscarles.bsky.social is offering to buy someone a book by the brilliant Olaf Falafel. Here's what I can get right now. If there's one that you'd like, get in touch.

After what seemed like the longest week at school ever (although I think I say that quite often!), this was the perfect start to the weekend. Gorgeous in every way: characters, story and illustrations. @hannahgold.bsky.social #UKKidLit #KidLitUK

I'm a huge fan of @jencarney.bsky.social's Famous series, and book three, The Day My Brother Got Famous, is the best so far. After his dog and school, it's Ferris's new foster brother's turn to hit the headlines. Funny, emotional and very enjoyable. Ideal for Y3/4 and a great class story.

My son is doing a refugees topic at school, which led to a great discussion round the dinner table about the books we’ve all read, at home and at school, that taught us about the refugee experience. What books would you add to the list? #KidsBooksFriday #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit

Our Poetry Competition is now open! You don't have to have read the books YET - write a poem inspired by the title or cover of our shortlisted books. Participating schools have received further details via email this morning. We can't wait to read your poems!

I've not posted this personally till now but with 5 weeks to go I'm VERY excited to be welcoming @ldlapinski.bsky.social to #Orkney for #WorldBookDay to visit my school as well as a few others that week 🤩 What an opportunity for our pupils! #WBD #ScoEdu #EduSky #ReadingSchools #UKKidLit #BookSky

Waterstones are running an ADVENTUREMICE PRIZE DRAW. Pre-order the new book, Of Mice and Mummies, before 25th Feb and you’ll have a chance to win an original portrait of yourself* as a mouse by Sarah McIntyre, and a cuddly Steiff mouse. www.waterstones.com/win/adventur... *Or your child, of course!

Teachers may be getting home around now, so a reminder that i'm giving away these books. If you want them for your school, just get in touch. I'll choose someone a bit later this evening.

Here are my favourite reads of 2025! Posted in Jan like last year. Six brilliant middle grade offerings from some spectacular story tellers and some of my mediocre poetry! tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2026/01/10/2...

Aw amazing selection!! And Patrice will be featuring in our March blog 🥰🙌

"THE BIG GREEN BOOKS 500 CLUB" We reached £500 again earlier this month & I offered £500 to Westwood Primary School in Cambridgeshire! Natasha, their librarian sent me a lovely list of books which I'll be posting off this week. JOIN IN HERE! www.biggreenbookshop.com/big-green-bo...

My favourite type of recommendation is when someone comes running up to me while I’m on duty and tells me I have to read a book because they have just finished it and it is brilliant. That was Friday. Found a copy to bring home. I have just finished it and it is brilliant! #KidLitUK #UKKidLit

A brilliant prequel to easily one of the series of the decade by A.F.Steadman a brilliant book whether you have read the series or not. Fantasy, adventure and heart! Perfect for a younger reader before the full series! @simonandschuster.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2026/01/24/t...

Not doing a proper #KidsBooksFriday this week as I had surgery yesterday (all went well), and am libel to write utter nonsense today. So maybe let’s just have a free for all on any great kids books you’d like to recommend this week. #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit

Here are the inspiring and engaging reads shortlisted in our 9+ Fiction category - congratulations! #Spark6Shortlist

And last but definitely not least - here are the four thrilling reads shortlisted in the 11+ Fiction Category. Congratulations to all the authors! #Spark6Shortlist

And here they are in all their glory... Picture Fiction for Early Readers Shortlist 2026! ✨📚🏆 #Spark6Shortlist

Our guest category: Non-Fiction Shortlist 2026! ✨📚🏆 #Spark6Shortlist

7+ Fiction Shortlist 2026! ✨📚🏆 #Spark6Shortlist

9+ Fiction Shortlist 2026! ✨📚🏆 #Spark6Shortlist

11+ Fiction Shortlist 2026! ✨📚🏆 #Spark6Shortlist

Here are the brilliant books shortlisted in our 7+ Fiction Category - congratulations all! #Spark6Shortlist

Our guest Non-Fiction category shortlist is full of fascinating and beautifully illustrated information books. Congratulations to these amazing authors and illustrators... #Spark6Shortlist

Starting strong - announcing the shortlist for our Picture Fiction for Early Readers category... congratulations to these incredible authors and illustrators! #Spark6Shortlist

We’re so excited to announce our 2026 shortlists!

We are pleased to announce the longlist for the 2026 #BranfordBoase Award, recognising the year's outstanding debut writers for children AND their editors 👏#kidlit #booksky Thank you to @alcs.co.uk & @walkerbooksuk.bsky.social for their support. branfordboaseaward.org.uk/2026-longlist/

Take Whisky’s word for it, this series is good enough to eat! I loved I am Wolf and I am Raven and am very excited to find out what happens in the final book.